Terminal board electrical connector

ABSTRACT

A plurality of connectors, mounted in transverse slots in a terminal board, provide connections between respective pairs of axially aligned conductor wires. Each connector is of resilient sheet metal, including a central web secured to the terminal board by a fastener, and spring jaws at each end, each having means for clamping a respective wire end.

United States Patent Robert E. Lawlor Costa Mesa, Calif.

Aug. 21, 1969 May 18, 1971 Electro-Clamp Corporation Beverly Hills, Calif.

Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 702,411, Feb. 1, 1968, now Patent No. 3,477,060.

Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee TERMINAL BOARD ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR 2 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 339/198,

339/266, 339/270 Int. Cl H0lr 7/06 Field of Search 339/95,

[56] References Cited UNIT ED STATES PATENTS 3,238,496 3/ 1 966 Crowther 339/246 3,263,129 7/1966 Glassman 317/101 3,437,979 4/1969 Beaudion 339/95 3,477,060 1 1/1969 Lawlor 339/266 FOREIGN PATENTS 84,958 7/1921 Gennany 339/266 Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-Robert A. Hafer Attorney-Lynn H. Latta ABSTRACT: A plurality of connectors, mounted in transverse slots in a terminal board, provide connections between respective pairs of axially aligned conductor wires. Each connector is of resilient sheet metal, including a central web secured to the terminal board by a fastener, and spring jaws at each end, each having means for clamping a respective wire end.

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TERMINAL BOARD-ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending application Ser. No. 702,411, filed Feb. l, 1968, now US. Pat.

No. 3,477,060, for Electrical Connector of Integral Sheet Metal Construction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Terminal boards having multiple connectors of various types for providing both series and junction or parallel connections between conductor wires in the wiring of electric circuits of numerous varieties, are widely known and used in the electric power, telephone, electronics and other electrical industries. A connector as used in such a terminal assembly may consist simply of a terminal screw for clamping a conductor wire directly under its head, or it may embody clamping jaws actuated by a clamp screw. Of the latter type some utilize pivotally connected jaws as in prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,138,422, 3,406,372, 3,351,889, and 3,437,979. My above identified copending application, Ser. No. 702,411, filed Feb. 1, 1968, US. Pat. No. 3,477,060 issued Nov. 4, I969, discloses a clarnping-jaw-type connector of integral sheet metal construction wherein a pair of wire-clamping jaws are integrally connected by a resilient loop adapted to yield to allow the jaws to be pressed together. Such connectors are not only inexpensive but also highly efficient for establishing an excellent, nonslipping electrical connection to a conductor wire.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a one-piece stamped sheet metal connector especially adapted for use in a terminal board for joining two conductors end-to-end. Objects of the invention are to provide a terminal board assembly:

I. embodying a plurality of connectors of simple, inexpensive construction;

2. each having wire engaging movable jaws operable to establish excellent conductive connections by a clamping action inopposed relation to respective fixed jaws;

3. each movable jaw having a pair of axially aligned wirereceiving apertures, and each cooperating fixed jaw being in opposed relation to a space between these apertures, and functioning as a fulcrum or mandrel over which the wire end is flexed or bent by the edges of the apertures which thus establish and maintain good conductive contact with the wire end;

4. each connector embodying dual integral jaws, one at each end'of a bridging base web, each jaw being adapted to clamp upon an end of a respective conductor;

5. of relatively narrow ribbon construction such that a plurality of the connectors can be secured in compact array in transverse slots in a terminal board.

In one form of the invention, each connector is of strip metal, having two pairs of conductor-clamping jaws consisting of fixed jaws joined to a common base, and movable jaws integrally joined to the fixed jaws.

Each of the movable jaws is connected to its respective fixed jaw by a spring loop, the movable jaws having respective overlapping tails which are apertured to receive a common fastener screw which is operable to draw the two tails down against the base web and to thereby force the movable jaws into clamping engagement with respective conductor wires.

In an alternate form of the invention, the fixed jaws are in the form ofcontinuous integral marginal beads of nonconductive material along the respective sides of the terminal board, and the movable jaws of the respective connectors are arranged to have latching engagement with flanges or lips at the outer margins of the fixed jaws, which function to press the wire ends firmly against the wire-engaging edges of the resilient movable jaws when the latter are thus latched.

LII

2 DESCRIPTION The foregoing and other objects will become apparent in the following specifications and appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a terminal board equipped with the connectors of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the connector in an open condition;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a modified form of the connector;

FIG. 6 is an end view looking at the jaws of the connector of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a terminal board embodying a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the same;

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view of the same; and

FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view of the same, showing a connector in closed wire-clamping positions of its jaws and also illustrating how the jaws can be released from the clamping positions.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, I have shown, in FIGS. 1-4 thereof, as an example of one form in which the in vention can be embodied, a connector assembly comprising a terminal board A and a plurality of connectors B adapted to establish a series of electrical connections between respective pairs of aligned wire ends C.

Terminal board A comprises a rectangular slab body 10 and a plurality of parallel, upstanding transverse fins ll spaced to define a plurality of transverse slots 12 in which respective connectors B are mounted.

Each connector B is of resilient ribbon metal, formed in a bending operation or operations to embody a central base web 15, bridging between and joining a pair of upstanding fixed mandrel jaws 16 of inverted U or V-form, a pair of matching, movable upper jaws 17 joined to the remote arms of fixed jaws 16 by resilient hinge loops 18, and a pair of overlapping tails 19 formed as extensions of the inward legs'of movable jaws 17 and having respective screw apertures 20 adapted to register in the wire-clamping positions of movable jaws l7, and to receive a screw or bolt F passed through a central aperture 21 in web 15 and secured in tenninal board A so as to secure the jaws 17 in wire-clamping positions.

Each movable jaw 17 has a pair of aligned apertures 22, 23 in its respective legs, through which a bared wire end of a respective conductor C may be inserted so as to extend above the crown of the respective fixed jaw 16. The latter has a notch 24, parallel to the common axis of apertures 22, 23, so as to receive and position the intermediate portion of the wire end between the apertures 22, 23.

When the jaws 17 are drawn downwardly to the closed positions shown in FIG. 3, the edges of apertures 22, 23 will press the wire end against the edges of fixed jaw 16 at the bottom of notch 24, flexing or bending respective portions of the wire end over the fixed jaw, functioning as a fulcrum or anvil, thus providing permanently effective electrical connections between the connector and the wire end.

The terminal board and the connectors are relatively inexpensive, each connector being formed of a single strip of ribbon metal and being secured by a single fastener at its center.

Modified formFlGS. 5 and 6 These FIGS. illustrate a modified connector B1 embodying a base web 15A having a fixed jaw 16A formed on one end thereof and a movable arm 29 joined by an integral hinge loop 18A at one end to the other end of base web 15A, and having a free end formed with a movable jaw 17A which includes a latching hook 30 adapted to latch beneath a keeper lip 31 on the fixed jaw 16A, thereby to hold the jaws in closed, wireclamping association. If it is desired to use the device as a single connector, arm 29 and base web 15A may be provided with registering screw apertures corresponding to apertures 20, 21 of FIGS. l-4.

It will be apparent that, in order to provide a double connector, the latch hook 30 of FIG. 5 can. be extended to provide a tail corresponding to tail 19 of FIGS. 1-4, that lip 31 can be bent back upon itself and extended to provide a bridging web joining the connector to another like connector arranged as a mirror image of the one shown, and that a single fastener screw can be extended through apertures in the tails and in the bridging web to secure the double connector in a slot of terminal board A and to secure the latching of the jaws in closed positions.

Modified form-FlGS. 7-10 The movable jaw and latching arrangement of FIGS. 5 and 6 can be modified, as shown in FIGS. 7l0, to a simplified double connector B2 consisting of a bridging web B secured at its center by a single fastener (e.g. rivet) F2 to the base body 108 of a terminal board A2 of channel section including side flanges 40 having crowned upper margins constituting fixed jaws 41 and having outwardly projecting keeper lips 42 for latching retention of latching books 308 on movable jaws 17B. Jaws 17B are formed as integral end portions of bridging web ISB'which embodies, on opposite sides of fastener F2, spring arms 298 that are nonnally-inclined away from body web 108 as shown in FIG. 9, with the axis of the wire-receiving apertures 22B, 23B raised above fixed jaws 4l so as to permit the wire ends to be freely inserted. After this is done, the jaws 17B are pressed downwardly over jaws 411, the outwardly flaring ramp surfaces of the latter being effective with a camming action of latching hooks 30B thereagainst, to spring the free outer arms of the jaws 17B outwardly until hooks 308 clear the extremitiesof lips 42, whereupon the outer jaw arms will spring back inwardly to seat the hooks 308 in latching engagement beneath lips 42, as in H6. 10. In such latched positions, jaws 178 will press the wire ends downwardly over the fixed jaws 41 so as to establish and maintain a reaction pressure of the wire ends against the edges of jaw apertures 22B, 238, thus providing a continuing good electrical connection.

The hooks 30B are extended by reverse bends to provide upwardly hooked pry fingers 43 which may be engaged by a screwdriver or other tool D operated with a prying action as indicated by arrows in FIG. 10, to spring the outer jaw anns outwardly and release the hooks 308 from latching engagement with lips 42.

As in FIGS. ll-d, the connectors are mounted in slots 128 defined between integral fins MB of terminal board B2.

lclaim:

l. A terminal board assembly comprising: a terminal board comprising a base-body and means defining a plurality of transverse slots thereon; means carried by said base body at respective sides thereo and defining laterally opposed, upstanding fixed jaws at respective extremities of said slots; and

a plurality of connectors mounted in said slots respectively,

each of said connectors formed of a strip of resilient ribbon metal and each embodying a web portion mounted on said base body, a pair of resilient flexible elements at respective extremities of said web portion, and a pair of respective movable jaws of inverted 'Ll-form disposed over respective fixed jaws in positions for, embracing engagement therewith;

each of said movable jaws comprising laterally opposed spaced arrns having aligned apertures adapted to receive a conductor wire extending between said arms and across a respective fixed jaw, said movable jaws being operable upon movement toward said fixed jaws into wire-clamping positions, to press said wires against said fixed jaws so as to establish reactive pressure engagement of said wires against the edges of said movable jaw arms in said apertures; v

the fixed jaws of each pair being formed as integral portions of a respective connector strip at lateral extremities of said web portion;

said resilient flexible elements being in the form of loops connecting said web extremities to outer arms of said movable jaws; I said securing means comprising tails formed as free end ex- 

1. A terminal board assembly comprising: a terminal board comprising a base body and means defining a plurality of transverse slots thereon; means carried by said base body at respective sides thereof and defining laterally opposed, upstanding fixed jaws at respective extremities of said slots; and a plurality of connectors mounted in said slots respectively, each of said connectors formed of a strip of resilient ribbon metal and each embodying a web portion mounted on said base body, a pair of resilient flexible elements at respective extremities of said web portion, and a pair of respective movable jaws of inverted U-form disposed over respective fixed jaws in positions for embracing engagement therewith; each oF said movable jaws comprising laterally opposed spaced arms having aligned apertures adapted to receive a conductor wire extending between said arms and across a respective fixed jaw, said movable jaws being operable upon movement toward said fixed jaws into wire-clamping positions, to press said wires against said fixed jaws so as to establish reactive pressure engagement of said wires against the edges of said movable jaw arms in said apertures; the fixed jaws of each pair being formed as integral portions of a respective connector strip at lateral extremities of said web portion; said resilient flexible elements being in the form of loops connecting said web extremities to outer arms of said movable jaws; said securing means comprising tails formed as free end extensions of inner arms of said movable jaws, said tails projecting into mutually overlapping relation and having respective apertures adapted to register with the center of said web and to receive a fastener element extended through said apertures and through said web and into said base body to draw said tails toward the latter and to thereby shift said movable jaws to said wire-clamping positions.
 2. An assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient flexible loops are adapted to fulcrum against said base body when said movable jaws are shifted toward wire-clamping positions. 